2015 Epsom Handicap Form Guide & Betting Preview

The first of the three Sydney Spring Racing Carnival majors taking place at Royal Randwick this Saturday is the day’s marquee race, the Epsom Handicap 2015 form guide and betting preview detailed below.

Running as Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEST) on Saturday afternoon, this year’s $1 million Group 1 The Star Epsom Handicap (1600m) is the 150th edition of the mile classic and features a final field of 15.

In the latest Epsom Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, who are offering Cash Back up to $100 if your horse runs 2nd or 3rd in the race, there are four single figure fancies led by the Chris Waller-trained mare Winx.

Despite a wide draw the bookies are taking no chances with the Street Cry four-year-old who has solid form at Randwick (5-1-3-0) and was brilliant first-up at Rosehill winning the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) from out wide, the step up in distance to suit.

Her biggest dangers are considered to be stablemate Sadler’s Lake ($7.50) shooting for his third win on the trot from a gun barrier three draw after a last start win in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at the track, Kris Lees’ multiple Group 1 winning mare Lucia Valentina ($8.50) high up in the weights with 57.5kg and Waller’s last start Kingston Town Stakes winning seven-year-old Silverball ($9.50).

That’s the story the bookies are telling but what about the Epsom Handicap form guide, betting history and betting statistics?

2015 Epsom Handicap Form Facts & Betting Stats

Last year’s Epsom Handicap winner was the Chris Waller-trained He’s Your Man who came off a win in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes and carried 52.5kg to victory from barrier 10 (of 15) with Joao Moreira in the saddle

Waller also won in 2013 with Boban, another winner from barrier 10, and has three chances of making it a hat trick this spring with: #4 Winx ($2.90), #7 Silverball ($9.50) and #11 Sadler’s Lake ($7.50)

All three of Waller’s runners come off a last start victory including Silverball who is after the same Kingston Town Stakes – Epsom Handicap double achieved by stablemate He’s Your Man (2014) 12 months ago

Along with Waller the other former Epsom Handicap winning trainers with a runner this year are: John Hawkes (33-1-0-4) who trains #3 Entirely Platinum ($10) and #5 Messene ($21) in partnership with sons Michael and Wayne, John O’Shea (5-1-0-0) with #10 Sweynesse ($17) and #13 Malice ($71), and the race’s most successful trainer Gai Waterhouse (48-7-6-4) represented by #8 Ecuador ($26)

Barrier 10 has produced the past two winners, and three in total since 1983, and belongs this year to #9 Kirramosa ($17)

The most successful Epsom barriers in that time with four wins each are seven and eight drawn on Saturday by #8 Ecuador (7) and #5 Messene (8) respectively

Last year’s winning hoop Joao Moreira (2-1-0-0) is back looking for another win aboard #13 Malice from the inside alley